Emulsification apparatus



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Patented Sept. 25, 19728.

i UNITED Ashrines `1.685.424 PATENTfoI-Fica GUY CLEMENT HURRELL, or' nnacxnnmrn, LoNnoN, ENGLAND.

' EMULSIFCATION APPARATUS.

`Application medlovember 12, 1927, Serial No. 232,919, and inG/reat Britain November 13, 1926.

The apparatus herein described is particularly suitable for making small quantities of emulsion and for being operated by hand power, although its application is not limited to small capacities. It is well vknown that emulsions such as those of oil and water` can be effectually made, and crude emulsions' homogenized andl made stable, by passing the mixture between very closely adjacent smooth surfaces at high velocity and/or high pressure; in the former case the smooth surfaces rotate rapidly with regard to each other as in the case for example of the machine described in my U. S. patent specification l,496,64l,

A well' known form of apparatus of the pressure kind is that known in commerce as the Gaulin type, in which high pressure pumps force the mixtureof oilsand water or the imperfect emulsion between a conical 20. valve and a seating of like shape, on to which the valve is forced by means o-f a powerful spring, the pressure of the liquid 'causing the valve to lift slightly from its seat. In passing throughthe narrow space thus formed, the emulsion is made or homogenized.

Both these types of apparatus are known to be effectual, but neither can advantageously be made in small sizes. In the case of the high speed t pe, owing to the fact that the peripheral ve ocity is required to be very high, the number of revolutions necessary in a small machine becomes so great as to be objectionable or impractical. The second or-pressure type can be made in a small size, but in any form known or previously described it vwould be disproportionately complicated and expensive to manufacturei I In the drawing accompanying this specifi- Figure 1 is a section'throughthe apparatus in one of its forms. 1

. Figure 2 is a section of an'altei'native arran ement of the parts. igure 3 is a similar View ofthe preferred i5 form ofthe apparatus.

In each of the figures like-parts are indicated by like figures or letters.

The apparatus forming the subject of this specification functions by means of a simple '(.prferably sin le acting) pum-p, the plunger a or piston 1 of wichis a deliberately loose fit in the barrel 2, for example one or two thousandtls of an inch more or less in the diameter. In practice it has been found that in a pump of about one inch bore the diameter of of considerable length compared with the bore of the pump, for example one or two diameters, andl the operation is found to be imp-roved if one or a number of shallow grooves 4 are formed on the surface of the plunger'. The pressure obtained on a small pump of the type described may reach one thousand or several thousand pounds tothe square inch.

The pump may be operated in a vertical, horizontal or inclined position, and in the single ended vertical typelthe plunger' 1' may be 7. above the barrel. 2 as in Fig. y1 or below as in. Fig. 2; and in all cases Veither the plunger or. barrel may move. The inlet valve3 is preferably a simple spherical metal ball (Figs: 2 and 3) which may close by gravity. The liqf, uid may enter, under t-he valve, eithr through a port in the (otherwise closed) end of the barrel (Figs. 1 and 3) or through lan axial hole 5` formed in the plunger 1 to which a transverse hole may conveniently communicate, as in Fig. 2. The emulsion, escaping from around the plungerl and thenge from the barrel 2, may be received by a suitably formed gut-ter and baille 7 at or near the open end of the barrel (Fior. '1), o r it maybe freely 90 discharged and caug t in an external receptacle 8 ig..^2) especially when the apparatus is in any position except with the mouth 0f t-he barrel upwards; but in my preferred form, shown 'at Fig. 3, I make my pump bar- `rel'2 of increased length sutli'cient to allow for, rstly at the closed end suflicient for the length'of the workingpart 1A of the plunger 1 and the travel thereof; secondly, a length equal to the travel and which is opposed by a portion 1B of the plunger of much reduced dameter; and' thirdly of a portion slightly more than the lengthof the stroke in which moves a portion 1C of the plunger of maximum diameter as closely as possible fitting the bore.

In the Wall of the cylinder or barrel 2 is pierced a port or outlet 9 in the cent-re of the part traversed by the part 1B of the plunger. It will be seen that the emulsion, leaking past the Working part ,1^ of the plunger, will exude 1 10 vthrough this port, the open end of the cylinl preferred type of pump or emulsifying unit,

` chanical or other sources of power and move-- I provide a rigid bedplate 10 of metal on which is a pivot 1lfor a lever 12, the long end 12A of which may be gripped by the operator; the short end pivotally engages at 13 with the outer end of the plunger as shown in Fig. 3. t The closed end ofthe cylinder V2 is pivotally anchored at 14 to a lug or anchorage 15 on the base 10 so that the pump may oscillate at least to the-extent of the height of the arc traversed by the end of the lever- 12. It is clearI that the plunger 1 may be anchored to the pivot 14 and the closed end of the cylinder to the lever 12`if so desired without affecting the functioning of the apparatus.

The inlet port may be connected by a flexible or rigid tube 16l as in Figs. l and 2 with the supply (such as 16A Fig. 1) of mixture to be emulsied, but where it is desired to emulsify a definite small' quantity of ingredients Vwhich have rst to be made into a crude or unstable emulsion, such as for example, a substitute dairy cream from milk or milk powder and water and'butter withvor without other fats, I prefer to fix or to form upon the exterior of the barrel 2 a small vessel, such as 17 in Fig. 3, to the bottom of which the inlet ort 5 communicates. In this case the valve 1s held closed by'a spring 18 sufiiciently strong t0 withstand the static pressure of the liquid in the pot, but which will immediately open with the suction stroke of the plunger 1; by this method an .external cock or valve may be dispensed with on the apparatus. To

the pot or vessel may advantageously be fitted a stirring or agitating device such as that shown forv example at 2 1 in Fig. 3.

` `While in the' above described preferredl orm` the function of the apparatustis by the direct action of a reciprocating lever, I

do not limit myself to this means in the case of the-preferred orthe alternativeI arrangements, but may obtain the reciprocating mof tion of the pump by meansof'a crank 'or an eccentric, directly operating pn the pump, or bylin'lis4 or rodssuch as 19 with guides 20 as' in Fig. 2, or, anylmown or usual means of obtaining-reciprocating motion from any,l mement.

Itgis contemplated that thel'combine'dl mix-V I i 'ing vesself? and `barrel 2 may be readily' def tachableY from the 'base 10, notonlyfor purposes of cleaning but so that' the ingredlents may be warmed when necessary (as. for ex.

ample in the production of cream as above referred to) by immersing this part of the apparatus in hot water for the requisite time,

and this can be done by making the' pin.v 14 readily removable.

I claim- 1. Means for effecting emulsiication of liquid comprising a cylinder with means for delivering such llquid to the cylinder, and a plunger closely fitting within said cylinder said plunger and cylinder movable relatively to one another whereby to forcesuch liquid between the plunger and the cylinder and emulsify it. i

2. Means for effectingA emulsication of liquid comprising a cylinder with means for 4delivering such liquid to the cylinder, said means including an automatic valve, and a plunger closely fitting within said cylinder sai'dplunger and cylinder movable relatively to one another whereby to force such liquid between the plunger and the cylinder and einulsify it.

3. Means for effecting emulsification of liquid comprising a cylinder, with means for delivering liquid to the cylinder, a plunger cio-ely fitting within said cylinder, said plunger and cylinder movablerelatively to one another in order to force such liquid between the plunger and the cylinder and emulsify it, a mixing vessel mounted upon one of the relatively movable parts and an automatic valve interposed between the mixing vessel and such one of said parts.

4. Means for effecting emuls'ification of liquid comprising a cylinder having an open and a 4closed end with means for delivering liquid to the vclosed end :of the cylinder, a plunger within' said cylinder, sald plunger and cylinder movable relatively to one another in order to force liquid between the plunger and the cylinder, whereby to emulsify such liquid, said plunger constituted by a working portion fitting in the cylinder, a guide portion fitting in -said cylinder, said .guide portion preventing egress of emulsion from the open end ofthe said cylinder, and an intermediate. portion of reduced diameterv lll" llla') lll) .fi-Means for erect u emais'iacain; 'of

.GUY CLEMENT HURRELL whereof I have signed myr 

